Shakespeare Portal

Act 4, Scene 3

A highway between Rome and Antium.

  1. [Enter a ROMAN and a VOLSCE, meeting.]
  2. Roman (Nicanor)
  3. 2424 I know you well, sir, and you know me; your name, I think,
  4. 2425 is Adrian.
  5. Volsce (Adrian)
  6. 2426 It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you.
  7. Roman (Nicanor)
  8. 2427 I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against 'em: know
  9. 2428 you me yet?
  10. Volsce (Adrian)
  11. 2429 Nicanor? no!
  12. Roman (Nicanor)
  13. 2430 The same, sir.
  14. Volsce (Adrian)
  15. 2431 You had more beard when I last saw you; but your favour is
  16. 2432 well approved by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have a
  17. 2433 note from the Volscian state, to find you out there; you have
  18. 2434 well saved me a day's journey.
  19. Roman (Nicanor)
  20. 2435 There hath been in Rome strange insurrections: the people
  21. 2436 against the senators, patricians, and nobles.
  22. Volsce (Adrian)
  23. 2437 Hath been! is it ended, then? Our state thinks not so;
  24. 2438 they are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon
  25. 2439 them in the heat of their division.
  26. Roman (Nicanor)
  27. 2440 The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it
  28. 2441 flame again; for the nobles receive so to heart the banishment
  29. 2442 of that worthy Coriolanus that they are in a ripe aptness to take
  30. 2443 all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes
  31. 2444 for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature
  32. 2445 for the violent breaking out.
  33. Volsce (Adrian)
  34. 2446 Coriolanus banished!
  35. Roman (Nicanor)
  36. 2447 Banished, sir.
  37. Volsce (Adrian)
  38. 2448 You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.
  39. Roman (Nicanor)
  40. 2449 The day serves well for them now. I have heard it said the
  41. 2450 fittest time to corrupt a man's wife is when she's fallen out
  42. 2451 with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in
  43. 2452 these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no
  44. 2453 request of his country.
  45. Volsce (Adrian)
  46. 2454 He cannot choose. I am most fortunate thus accidentally to
  47. 2455 encounter you; you have ended my business, and I will merrily
  48. 2456 accompany you home.
  49. Roman (Nicanor)
  50. 2457 I shall between this and supper tell you most strange things
  51. 2458 from Rome; all tending to the good of their adversaries. Have you
  52. 2459 an army ready, say you?
  53. Volsce (Adrian)
  54. 2460 A most royal one; the centurions and their charges, distinctly
  55. 2461 billeted, already in the entertainment, and to be on foot at an
  56. 2462 hour's warning.
  57. Roman (Nicanor)
  58. 2463 I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man, I think,
  59. 2464 that shall set them in present action. So, sir, heartily well
  60. 2465 met, and most glad of your company.
  61. Volsce (Adrian)
  62. 2466 You take my part from me, sir; I have the most cause to be
  63. 2467 glad of yours.
  64. Roman (Nicanor)
  65. 2468 Well, let us go together.
  66. [Exeunt.]